


Looking Up

by Lumelle



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-13
Updated: 2017-03-13
Packaged: 2018-10-03 18:53:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10255091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lumelle/pseuds/Lumelle
Summary: After an unlikely escape from a firefight, Poe and Finn talk. Optimism makes things better even when hiding from the First Order.





	

"You know, this isn't exactly what I had in mind."

"Too bad. You should have been more specific if you were going to get picky all of a sudden." Finn was pressed tightly against Poe's back, which was frankly the only thing about this situation that Poe liked. His arms were warm and strong around Poe, and really he might have allowed himself to be distracted by that if not for the fact that he was kind of busy trying to keep hold of the makeshift reins Finn had dumped in his hands.

"I wouldn't think it's picky to ask for an actual vehicle!" Instead, he found himself trying to control some sort of an overgrown flying lizard that was apparently native to the planet. It would make a great drinking story, sure, if they managed to escape all this First Order fire while riding this thing.

"You always keep saying you can pilot anything that flies. Time to prove it, hotshot!"

"Again, that's about actual vehicles." But hey, it wasn't like he had much of a choice. "You know, I almost liked it better when you hadn't figured out how to play smart yet."

"Only almost, though." Finn was holding tight onto him, trusting Poe to get them out of this predicament. And how could he betray such precious trust?

It was no X-Wing, and not really like any other vehicle he had ever flown before, which was rather to be expected when he was trying to wrangle a large critter with a mind of its own with little more than a rope haphazardly tied around its muzzle. Somehow, though, he managed to get them out of the direct line of fire, ducking into the dense forest once they were out of sight. The lizard took off again the moment they slid off its back, and Poe soon heard First Order ships flying after it as they covered under foliage.

"Okay, we're still alive. I count that as a success." Poe sighed, sitting down and leaning his back to the bark of a large tree. He could only hope there wasn't anything too terribly toxic or dangerous waiting around for them, which he wasn't all that hopeful about considering the size of local reptiles.

"Best we can hope for right now, really." Finn slid down to the ground next to him, heaving out a deep sigh. "And we can't even call for extraction as long as the First Order is patrolling around."

"Well, people will come looking if and when we miss a call-in. Meaning we only need to wait until tomorrow for them to start looking. At that point we might be able to get out somewhere more public, or at least send out a signal to BB-8."

"You're far too hopeful sometimes." Finn elbowed him in the side.

"Me? I would say you're the idealistic one out of the two of us." Poe made to elbow Finn in return, which somehow ended up with him leaning against Finn. "You okay?" He hadn't even had time to make sure Finn was uninjured during their frantic escape.

"I'll be fine. I've got some bruises and scratches, but that's it."

"Oh?" Poe lifted his eyebrows, brushing sweaty locks of hair off his forehead. "Actually just bruises and scratches, or 'don't worry about poor old me' bruises and scratches?"

"Actual ones. Don't worry, I'm not about to let myself get cut in half and not tell you."

"That would be much more comforting if not for the fact that you very nearly got sliced in half the last time you went out on a mission." Poe couldn't help but reach out for Finn's hand, mostly to make sure he was there, all in one piece. Finn didn't draw away.

"Yes, well, this time the stakes are slightly lower." Finn gave him a wan smile. "I'll take a bunch of First Order goons over the entire Starkiller Base any day."

"Now there's the positive outlook I'm used to." Poe chuckled a bit. "So aside from the surprise ambush, how's your first time back on the field? Cheerful and refreshing, I trust?"

He expected a brief quip of some sort, or possibly Finn giving one of his adorably sincere comments, given that he was still working on catching up to things such as sarcasm. Instead, Poe heard nothing, feeling Finn tense against his side.

"Finn?" Poe frowned, turning enough to look at Finn properly. "I swear, if you're hiding an injury from me…"

"It's nothing like that." Finn sighed, leaning his head back against the tree. "I just…" Finn turned his gaze away, though he still let Poe hold onto his hand. "You're going to be disappointed."

"About what?" Poe was quite puzzled by this answer. "If this is about finding me that flying lizard instead of an actual ship, I was just teasing. I mean, it got us out of trouble, right?"

"It's not that." Finn worried his lip for a moment, and Poe was struck by the strangest urge to reach out to soothe him. "I… I'm thinking of asking the General if there's something else for me to do. I mean. Instead of going out on the field again."

"Oh?" That was surprising. Sure, it wouldn't be the first time someone got turned off action after a bad experience in the field, and Finn certainly had every right to swear off action for the rest of his life after spending months recovering from his injury, but he hadn't seemed hesitant at all when he'd been offered the chance to go out on a mission with Poe. "Any particular reason?"

Finn glanced at him now, turning his gaze away again after only a moment. "I can't do this."

"Can't do what?" Poe squeezed his hand carefully.

"I can't kill people." Finn's voice was very nearly a whisper. "I know I have before, and I will if I have to, but… I really don't want to do this. Not if there's anything else I can do to help."

"I'm sure there's a lot you can do instead." Feeling Finn relax a little, he went on, "Also, nobody will be disappointed if you would rather not be out in the field. The General won't, Rey won't, and I certainly won't."

"But — I have to —"

"No." Poe made his voice as firm and reassuring as he possibly could. "You don't have to do anything you don't want to, Finn. If you choose to help the Resistance, in whatever way you can, that's great. If you'd rather not, that's fine too. The Resistance is not the First Order. We want people to fight for us out of their own volition."

"I'm a trained soldier, though. My marksmanship is excellent, I should be using those skills to help."

"We have plenty of fighters who chose to learn those skills. You didn't have a choice in whether to learn, but you should have one now." Poe kept holding onto Finn's hand. "If anyone tells you otherwise, just point them to me. I'll make sure they know how wrong they are."

"…Thanks." Finn was leaning against him now, which was good, this was very good. "I… I can still see you, right? Even if we don't do missions together?"

"Of course." Had Finn really been worried about that? "Obviously I'll be off-world quite often, but whenever we're both at the base I fully expect to have some excellent company."

"I'm not sure if that can be arranged, but I can do my best to chase Snap away."

"Was that a joke? Now that's what I like to hear." Poe grinned. "Now, we're probably going to be hiding here a while. How about we get something soft to lie down on, and then take turns getting some rest?"

"That sounds like a good plan." Finn stayed still for a moment longer, and when he stood up Poe missed the warmth of his hand. "Maybe we'll even find something to eat that won't either poison us or bite us back."

"That's my Finn, ever the optimist."

"Yeah," Finn said, his voice surprisingly soft. "Yes, I am."

It wasn't until Poe managed to get up on his feet as well that he realized Finn hadn't specified which part he was agreeing with. It wasn't like it mattered, anyway.

Clearly, both were true.


End file.
